Israel and Morocco Take Fledgling Step Toward Diplomatic Relations

By CLYDE HABERMAN,

Published: September 2, 1994

JERUSALEM, Sept. 1—
Israel and Morocco took the first formal step toward diplomatic relations today, making the kingdom in northern Africa the only Arab country other than Egypt to establish official ties with the Jewish state.

Although Israel and neighboring Jordan agreed with fanfare in late July to end their technical state of war, and have since behaved in public like old and dear friends, they have yet to sign a peace treaty and have no official links.

In the Arab world, only Egypt has full relations with the Israelis, since 1979. But Morocco signaled unmistakably today that it is ready to follow suit after many years of amicable, behind-the-scenes dealings.

Separately, the Israelis and Moroccans announced that they would open so-called liaison offices in Tel Aviv and Rabat to deal with matters like business and cultural exchanges. When this will happen was not made clear, and an Israeli official said it may take a few months. An Office in Gaza

Another official said that similar arrangements may be worked out with Tunisia in coming months.

At the same time, Morocco said it would set up a similar office in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Palestinian self-rule since May along with the West Bank town of Jericho. But that bureau seemed likely to deal only with administrative or technical issues.

An official Moroccan statement said that its diplomatic connection to what it called "the Palestinian state" -- something that does not exist -- would remain as before in Tunis, the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

In contrast, the Israelis stressed that the new offices they and the Moroccans are opening would be run by diplomats. It was clear that Israel regards this action, which had in fact been expected for several months, as a precursor to eventual full diplomatic relations, although it is difficult to judge when -- or even if -- they will come about. Many Moroccan Jews

Israeli officials were delighted by the latest development, which spotlights the continued crumbling of a once-solid wall of Arab hostility to their country's existence. Opposition leaders also quickly praised the announcement.

As with the new open friendship with Jordan, most Israelis want relations with Morocco, whose King, Hassan II, is seen here as a benign monarch. Significantly, some 600,000 Israelis are of Moroccan descent, the result of a large-scale migration in the early 1950's. They account for nearly 15 percent of Israel's Jews.

The Government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin hopes that the diplomatic move will also prove to be a political bonanza. Some officials said it reinforced their argument to skeptical Israelis that the Gaza-Jericho arrangements are not Israel's gift to the Palestinians but rather a key to regional peace and to the international acceptance that this country craves.

"We have to recognize the fact that very often patience pays off in the end," Mr. Rabin said. "Step by step, we will have a better outcome." Advantages for the King

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who met with King Hassan in Rabat on June 2 and paved the way for the new relations, said: "Until now, we focused mainly on bilateral relations with our neighboring countries. This is the opening of regional relations."

There are presumed advantages as well for King Hassan, who leads a committee on Jerusalem for the Arab League. He reportedly was concerned when Israel announced in July that it recognized the role that King Hussein of Jordan plays as guardian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem. Now, some political commentators here argued, the Moroccan King may have given himself a stronger voice on the city's future status.

Although Mr. Peres insisted that Israel was not throwing Jerusalem open to negotiation, he repeated that it has committed itself to discussing the city's fate with the Palestinians by mid-1996. King Hassan, he said, "has his own opinions on that issue, and we'll take them into account."

The announcement today is but the latest in a series of changes that optimists like Mr. Peres say point to a new Middle East that is opening up for Israel. An Important Step

Of course, the region is still dangerous, with intense nationalism, religious fundamentalism, ancient hatreds and growing arsenals that are presumed to include nuclear weapons held by Israel and perhaps in not too many years by Iran and Iraq as well. Nonetheless, agreements that were once considered implausible have come about in just the last year.

Israel has come to terms with the P.L.O. that Yasir Arafat has returned to the occupied territories. Israel and Jordan have made their relationship public and are working toward a peace treaty. Serious efforts to broker an Israel-Syria treaty are under way. Official Israeli delegations have traveled to Persian Gulf states like Oman and Qatar, and now an important Arab country in northern Africa like Morocco has taken an important step forward.

How rapidly King Hassan may move toward full relations is a dominant question. He survived two assassination attempts in the 1970's, and is presumed to have no desire to encourage Islamic militancy or Arab nationalism in his country by appearing to be too cozy with Israel.

Telephone links between the two countries were opened this year, and direct flights are being negotiated to handle a growing number of tourists.

King Hassan also has several Jewish advisers and is proud of his country's tolerance toward its roughly 8,000 Jews -- a small fraction of the 275,000 Jews who were in Morocco when the country gained independence in 1956 but who emigrated to Israel, France and elsewhere.